Android-based Motorola i1 from Sprint Meets Military-grade Specs

Motorola and Sprint Nextel said at CTIA Wireless March 22 they are launching the Motorola i1 smartphone based on Google's Android 1.5 operating system this summer in North America. The device features a 3.1-inch touch screen, 5.0 megapixel camera with flash and geotagging, video, Opera's Mini 5 browser and WiFi. The device may be in the middle of the pack price wise because it runs the Android 1.5 OS, making it ancient to those who have purchased or played with phones based on Android 1.6, such as the Motorola Devour or the Android 2.0-based Motorola Droid and the Android 2.1-based Google Nexus One.

Motorola and Sprint Nextel said they are launching the Motorola
i1, a rugged smartphone based on Google's Android 1.5 operating system that
lets users push to talk with other Nextel subscribers, this summer in North
America.
The companies, which unveiled the device at the CTIA
Wireless show in Las Vegas March 22, said the device features a 3.1-inch touch
screen, 5.0 megapixel camera with flash and geotagging, video, Opera's Mini 5
browser and WiFi.

The gadget is based on Motorola's iDEN technology, which
provides wireless telephony, a nationwide and international two-way radio,
packet data for Internet access, two-way e-mail and text messaging, and
wireless modem capabilities. IDEN is essentially what gives the devices
walkie-talkie-like functionality.

Motorola and Sprint are marketing the i1 as a device for
those who "work hard and play hard," as it meets military
specification 810F for protection against extreme temperatures, dust, shock,
vibration and driving rain.
The i1 includes Google search, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Google
Talk and Gmail. However, Microsoft Document Viewer and corporate
sync are also available to let users access Word or PowerPoint files.
Users can enter text
for messaging with the standard Android virtual keyboard and Swype virtual
keyboards, which lets users write with gestures on the screen. The i1 boasts 201 minutes of talk time.
Mobile Burn has a hands-on review of the features and
pictures of the i1 from CTIA
here.
No pricing information for the device is available,
though customers interested in Motorola i1 can pre-register for it here. However,
the Motorola i1 offers such data capabilities that will require activation on a
plan that includes unlimited data.
For that, Sprint touts its Everything Data 450 plan,
which gives customers unlimited calling with any U.S. wireless user, unlimited
nationwide texting, e-mail, Web browsing and GPS navigation for $69.99 per
month.
The device may be in the middle of the pack price wise
because it runs the Android 1.5 OS, making it ancient to those who have
purchased or played with phones based on Android 1.6, such as the Motorola
Devour or the Android 2.0-based Motorola Droid and the Android 2.1-based Google
Nexus One.
The pre-announcement of the i1 does underscore how Sprint
is ratcheting up its adoption of Android-based devices. Just last week, Sprint vowed
to offer the Google Nexus One this year.
The Nexus One and new Motorola i1 will join the Samsung Moment and HTC Hero in Sprint's modest but growing
lineup of Android devices.